NYFF, LuLaRoe, Willi Smith Exhibit, Qian Julie Wang's Memoir, Jason Isbell, Music Venues

The 59th New York Film Festival runs from September 24 to October 10 at Lincoln Center. NYFF director Eugene Hernandez and senior programmer Dennis Lim join us to preview the festival, and look forward to what films to check out. LuLaRoe, the colorful leggings company that was supposed to empower their salespeople with financial independence, has been revealed to be a multi-level marketing scheme that left the founders rich and many of their employees in debt. Julia Willoughby Nason and Jenner Furst, directors and executive producers of the Amazon Prime docuseries "LuLaRich," join us to discuss. The Cooper Hewitt exhibit, "Willi Smith: Street Couture," celebrates the life of Willi Smith, the acclaimed artist and designer who was, at the time of his death, thought to be one of the most successful Black American designers of the 20th century. Curator Alexandra Cunningham Cameron joins us to discuss. The exhibit runs through October 24. When Qian Julie Wang was growing up in Chinatown, she knew that no matter how sick her mother became (some days, she couldn’t get out of bed) she should not ask authorities for help. That’s because she and her parents are undocumented, and her mother is terrified of deportation. Wang chronicles her experiences growing up undocumented in New York City in her acclaimed new memoir Beautiful Country, and she joins us to talk about the book. [REBROADCAST FROM MAY 19, 2020] Grammy-winner Jason Isbell discusses his latest album with the 400 Unit, Reunions. The pandemic forced some music venues to close permanently; others have been able to re-open after a year of shutdowns. But one venue in Bushwick never had to close, because it didn’t exist yet. Brooklyn Made will officially open its doors for the first time on September 30. President and CEO Anthony Makes joins us to discuss launching a venue during the pandemic, and listeners call in to share their favorite venues and the shows they’re excited for.